Searles castle LbNA #47893

Searles Castle is located at 21 Searles Rd. Windham; NH. The constuction of the castle started in 1905 and was finished in 1915. It was built with cut granite, fieldstone, and dark red sandstone. The castle was an estimated cost of 1,250,000 dollars. Searles had the finest masons and woodworkers for the building of the castle. It used imported marble and artifacts from Europe to furnish it. The proofs of these works are found in the carved oak balcony, and the marble fireplaces. The castle consists of an Entrance, a Reception Hall, a Foyer, a Dining Room, a Music Room, a Sun Porch, a Library, a Grand Stairway, a Second Floor Guest Suite, a Third Floor Guest Suite, a Second Floor Rotunda (or Balcony), Servants Rooms, a Kitchen, a Butlers Pantry, Butlers Rooms, and a Master Bedroom Suite which consists of; a Master Bedroom, a Sitting Room, a Bathroom, and a Sunroom and today, there is also a Castle Gift Shop. The construction of the castle was directed by Edward Francis Searles. Edward was an interior decorator and antique collector. He hired Henry Vaughn, an architect, to design a one fourth size replica of the medieval Tudor manor of Stanton Harcourt in Oxon England.Edward was born on July 4th, 1841 in Methuen, Massachusetts. At a young age, he loved art and music. When he was twenty-one he taught piano and organ in Bath, Maine. He became an interior decorator for Herter Brothers of New York City after being an apprentice in a Boston firm. He married Mary Hopkins on November 9th, 1887. Mary was 22 years older than him and died a year after the wedding.When Edward died in 1920, he left the castle to his secretary, Arthur T. Walker. Walker died seven days later, thus, leaving it to his brothers and sisters. They then sold it to Mr. And Mrs. Frank Andrew of Methuen, Massachusetts, in 1930. The Sisters of Mercy acquired the castle in 1952. Since then it has been used for young women entering the Sisters of Mercy; a retreat house; and administrative offices, college classes, weddings, and other facilities.

Clues: From Route 93.
Take exit 3 and go right.
Go straight through lights untill Delahunty's on your right and St Mathews church is on your left.
Take the left on to Searles Rd. Take a left onto 37 Searles Rd. Go through a parking lot with a white building on your right untill you see a little parking lot ,on your right, in front of a white house that has "Private Drive" signs in the yard. Park in the little parking lot (Do not drive down the private drive roads). Walk up a grass hill to the walls of the castle. Walk left along the wall. You will pass a drain hole, continue walking until you see a large rock. From the rock walk 16 paces along the wall. When you come upon a corner walk along the corner for 5 steps. On the ground you will see 3 rocks each about 2 feet long. Look carefully and there will be your prize :)